Hunting with Eagle

PhotographerYan Li

Prize2nd Place in Special / Travel/Tourism

Entry Description

Hunting with golden eagles is a badge of identity for Kazakhs, the ethnic minority who inhabits the rugged western edge of Mongolia. The best hunting season is winter when wolves, foxes and rabbits are in their best fur. First, the hunter takes his well-trained eagle to a high peak overlooking a wide valley. Once a prey is spotted, the hunter releases his eagle, and then the eagle will glide down at an alarmingly sedate pace and tackle its prey to the ground. The hunter will quickly ride up to despoil the struggling prey from the eagle. Later on, the lung of the animal will be fed to the eagle as a reward and the skin will be used for clothing. Although modernization progresses in Mongolia, Mongolian Kazakhs’ habit of nomadism persists, so does the love and knowledge of falconry.

About Photographer

Originally being educated as an engineer, Yan Li received his Ph.D. degree in 2012. His solid knowledge of technologies, engineering and industry makes him understand what is transforming people’s lifestyles in the Information Age. He has the passion of traveling worldwide to admire the diversities on earth which are unfortunately facing challenges during the rapid urbanization and globalization. His photographic work focuses on capturing the fleeting moments of human experience, revealing personal stories of peoples, and documenting the fascinating yet vanishing cultures. He is the winner and finalist of various prestigious awards, including the International Photography Awards (IPA), the Prix de la Photographie Paris (Px3), the Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) and the National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year.